Wouldn’t you know it? I have my shiny new Vista machine all built and hopping along
happily, and I need to do a quick recompile of one of my old VS2005 projects. Luckily
my 2005 disc is right here. This should be easy, right?

Things you’ll need:

1. Visual Studio 2005 install media and key.

2. 30g powdered aluminum.

3. Visual
   Studio Team Sweet 2005 SP1 (KB 928957). You might think you need an x64 version
   of this…but you don’t so don’t worry about it.

4. 80g iron oxide powder.

5. Visual
   Studio 2005 SP1 Update for Windows Vista (KB 929470). Again you only need the
   x86 version.

6. A length of magnesium ribbon.

7. A brazing torch or other high-heat fire producer.

The process:

1. Insert the VS2005 disc, and start up the setup. Enter your keys and the like. Get
   the thing started.

2. This is going to take a while, so if you haven’t gotten the other ingredients listed,
   now’s the time to get on eBay and order some up.

3. At certain points during the install, Vista and the setup will complain that it’s
   not compatible with Vista and ask you to confirm that you should run certain command.
   Go ahead and accept/allow all those warnings.

4. Run the installation to completion.

5. Execute the Visual Studio SP1 installer.

6. By this time, the packages will have arrived from eBay, unless you used UPS, in which
   case, there will be a sticker on your door and the packages will be available until
   1pm at the local depot. Go pick them up.

7. When you get back the installer should be done.

8. Run the Update for Vista.

9. While this is working, mix the aluminum with the iron oxide. They aren’t reactive
   at room temperatures, so you really don’t need any special apparatus, but I always
   recommend using a filter mask and eye protection when working with powdered chemicals.
   The mix is unbalanced by weight, but should be about even by volume. Mix them together
   in a bowl or styrofoam cup until very even. If you’d like, you can then mix the resulting
   mixture 4:1 with playdoh (more thermite than dough) for portability, or just leave
   it in the cup.

10. Once that installer is done, you should be FINALLY able to run Visual Studio.

11. Place the magnesium ribbon into the cup of thermite, and tape over the top to prevent
    spills. Leave the cup on top of your computer, with the torch handy. I find that having
    instant flaming death hanging over my machine’s head keeps the poor thing in a state
    of terror. It prevents so many of those lazy blue screens and has really improved
    my Vista file copy performance. (I think it’s afraid to run that darned search indexer
    now.)